Scathed
by Vintage Tea Party
Summary: If there is one thing that Abe has learned about immortals it is that they are not invincible. He has watched Henry die more times than he wants to count and though Henry always escapes death with his life, he always loses something. Every one of his deaths leaves a wound and this may be the greatest one of all. Takes place during episode 6"The Frustrating Thing About Psychopaths."


**This is a short I wrote to take place after Henry's death in episode 6 "The Frustrating Thing About Psychopaths." Henry's death in this episode just seemed so much more traumatic than the others so far and I loved the scene between him and Abe the following morning, I just had to write a story of what happened in between. Hope you enjoy! Spoilers for that episode, obviously :) **

If there was one thing that Abe knew for certain after watching Henry survive death time and time again it was this: immortals are not invincible. Abe was sure that if others knew about Henry's secret then some of them might assume that because Henry survived his deaths that he came out of them unscathed. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Just because Henry survived the deaths didn't mean they didn't affect him. Yes, Henry's body would come back to life and the wounds that killed him would eventually heal. But Abe could see how each and every death left a mark on Henry, a mark that would never heal.

Abe knew that this death was different than the others. He had first suspected it when he had gotten the call from Henry. When Henry had called Abe to come and pick him up he was so quiet. Henry had only said "Come and get me. Please." He offered Abe no further explanation of what had happened, beyond his simple request. It wasn't as if he usually had a whole lot to say but he usually at least told Abe what had been the cause of death. But he hadn't said this time and Abe even had to prompt Henry to give him an address so he would know where to pick him up. Even that Henry had only given in a short answer.

There was something in Henry's voice that made Abe worry. It sounded scared or vulnerable or pained. Maybe it was all of them at once. Whatever it was it had made Abe feel the need to reassure Henry. "I'm coming. I'll be there soon, alright?" he had said right before he rushed out of the shop and hurried to the location Henry had given him as fast as he could.

But it wasn't until Abe saw Henry that he knew for certain something was truly wrong this time. When Abe stopped the car Henry had stumbled out of the dark area where he had been hiding, walking slowly to the car. His eyes were completely vacant and didn't even seem to see the destination they were focused on. He did not hurry to get to the car or display any need to cover up in any way. He acted as if he didn't care or maybe didn't even notice that he was naked. Abe realized they were on a pretty dark and deserted street but it still would have bothered Henry. The fact that it didn't sent dread into Abe's stomach.

Abe got out of the car quickly and hurried over to Henry, wrapping him up in a robe that he had brought from home. Henry didn't acknowledge or even seem to notice Abe's presence as he did so and he let Abe guide him to the car, another very uncharacteristic thing. Henry didn't allow himself to be taken care of very often, even following his deaths. It was probably because he was in shock which was obvious by the look in Henry's eyes and on his face. Abe hadn't seen Henry in true shock very many times and fear filled his heart as he considered what might have brought it on.

In the beginning, when Henry had first told Abe that he could never die Abe was relieved. He had foolishly thought that it excluded him from having to worry about Henry. He had considered himself lucky to be the only person who had a dad that could never die. He still took great comfort in that, knowing Henry would always be with him. But he had learned quite quickly that Henry's immortality did not exclude him from worry. After he had witnessed of few of Henry's deaths he'd learned that. Henry might not be able to die but he could still feel pain. He would still suffer through the agony of death. He could still get afraid. He still kept the memories of those deaths and he could still be hurt mentally and emotionally by them. Henry might be spared death but he was never spared the pain. It was no longer death Abe feared for Henry but the pain.

Never before had that been as true as it was right now. He had never seen Henry this way and it made Abe worry and brought to mind some very terrible scenarios that might have left Henry this way.

"What happened Henry?" Abe asked glancing over at Henry as he started to drive home. But his question was met with silence as Henry just stared blankly out the window in front of him.

"Henry, talk to me," he said louder so as to be heard, some of the desperation he felt making its way into his voice. "Henry!"

Henry finally looked briefly in Abe's direction, with a confused look on his face, as if noticing him for the first time. But he seemed to realize where he was pretty quickly and finally spoke. "What? Abe?"

"What-happened?" Abe said clearly and slowly.

Henry took a deep breath, turning to look out the window again, his eyes distant and remembering. "I was murdered."

Abe gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. He was glad for the excuse of driving to allow him somewhere else to look so he wouldn't have to hide his distress. He always hated to hear these words from Henry. Generally, Abe sought to help Henry make light of his deaths, trying to help him see the positive in them. Abe knew how withdrawn and sullen he could get after them and Abe wanted to help him not to get too depressed. Henry could be so serious and Abe helped him keep thing in perspective. But when murder was the cause of death there was no good way to spin it. Abe hated the thought that anyone would want to kill Henry and he had hard time hiding that.

"How did it happen?" he managed to ask in a even tone after a brief pause.

Henry took another deep breath. He looked as though he was gearing himself up, trying to draw enough energy for an explanation. He looked so tired and so defeated, as if he might not have strength for it. "I went to see the Frenchman. I returned her ledger and talked with her, hoping she would help out when the police called, confirm the sale or the knife but not tell them we stole the ledger. When I came out of the store he was waiting on me."

"I thought Devon was in custody."

"He is. We got it wrong. It wasn't Devon. It was his father. I'd just figured it out after talking to the Frenchman but he knew I would be there and he came to stop me. As soon as I came out of the shop he stabbed me in the lung and left me to bleed to death."

Abe tried to remain calm and not to get as upset as he felt. "How long were you there?" he asked, trying not to but unable to keep himself from wondering how long Henry had laid there, in pain and cold and gasping for breath until he could breathe no more.

"Not long. A few minutes maybe. I saw him go inside so I went after him. He had been trying to strangle the Frenchmen when I got in there but I tackled him."

"Henry!" Abe said in surprise. "How did you manage that?"

"It wasn't easy. We fought for a few moments before we fell down the stairs into the basement. It didn't stop him but it at least slowed him down a bit. It did, however, stop me. My back was broken by then."

"Oh, Henry," Abe said after hearing Henry's painful story. "No wonder you died."

"I actually didn't die of that."

"Wait-what? What did you die of if you didn't die from that?" It was hard to imagine how anyone could survive all of that.

"Adam was there," Henry said gravely.

"You saw him?"

"No. I was face down on the ground, my back was broken. I couldn't move, all I could see were his shoes. Jo was upstairs by then. I was dying but it wasn't going to happen before she found me. So, he...slit my throat."

Abe waited for Henry to say more. He knew that there had to be more but he didn't want to question Henry too much or push him to talk about what he wasn't comfortable with yet. But Abe realized that he wasn't going to get any more information right now. Henry closed down and remained silent for the remainder of the ride home. Abe could tell that Henry was incredibly upset. He was still in shock so his statements had come out in short matter of fact statements. But Abe knew when the shock wore off this was going to be bad. Very bad.

Abe had seen Henry through more deaths than he wanted to consider. Depending on the type of death and circumstances surrounding it, Henry needed different levels of care following it. Sometimes, he seemed fine, like he bounced back from it instantly. Other times he was sullen and just needed a little space and time. But then there were other times when he needed to be taken care of, when he needed to be comforted. The later didn't happen very often at all. Abe knew that was because Henry tried not to be a burden, that he tried to spare Abe from what he was struggling with. Abe knew there were many more times when Henry probably wanted to be comforted but didn't seek it out and handled it himself. That's what he'd been used to for so long. But sometimes he just couldn't help it. Sometimes the pain of the death was just too much to bear on his own.

Abe knew that this was one of those times. When they got home Henry got out of the car on his own but he let Abe put an arm on his shoulder and guide him inside and to his room. Abe led Henry over to his bed and sat him down. He reached for the towel he had given to Henry in the car, pulling on it gently when Henry didn't let it go right away. Abe took it and used it to gently dry Henry's hair which Henry had not gotten around to. Henry just sat there, looking defeated and sullen. Abe went to the dresser and got out a pair of pajamas. He handed them to Henry and Henry took them and put them on as Abe turned down the covers on the bed. Abe was glad that Henry was at least responsive now but his continued silence and allowance to being taken of was still so uncharacteristic it unnerved Abe.

Henry got in the bed and Abe pulled the covers over him, just as Henry used to do for him when he was a child. He pulled them up and tucked them in around Henry, trying to make Henry warm. He was shaking slightly though Abe was sadly sure that it wasn't from the temperature. As Abe looked down at Henry he was at a loss at what to do next. Henry was miserable and protected only by shock at the moment. It was more than understandable considering that he had been the target of not just one but two killers tonight. Abe just didn't know how to much such a terrible thing any better.

He thought about making some tea, hoping it might help. He turned to leave but he felt Henry's hand reach out and grab his own. Abe turned around and looked at Henry but Henry darted his eyes down in embarrassment. "Don't-" Henry whispered, vulnerability in his voice.

Abe squeezed his hand in reassurance. "I wasn't leaving. I was just going to make you some tea."

"Don't" Henry whispered again, shaking his head but still not meeting Abe's eyes.

"I thought it might make you feel better."

"I don't want any tea," Henry insisted.

"Is there something else you want?"

'"No," he said, still not looking at Abe. "Just…stay."

Abe sat down on the side of the bed and waited for Henry to say more. Henry did not usually ask Abe to stay with him following a death and Abe really wanted to help this time when Henry had asked. But he felt helpless. He wanted to ease Henry's suffering but he had no idea how to do that. He needed some guidance from Henry to show him what he needed. Abe sensed that there was something that Henry wanted or needed, that there was something he wanted to say and he waited for Henry talk about it.

Abe could tell that the shock of the night was starting to wear off and Henry was starting to feel the pain of his traumatic death. The dull eyes that had looked off in the distance, not focused on anything and looking dead had now changed. They now seemed to focus on something, a memory of the not so distant past. They flickered with hints of pain as they focused on whatever it was they were seeing. A worried crease formed on Henry's forehead and his mouth seemed to gain a slight grimace of pain. Abe covered Henry's hand with his other one so that he held it between both of his. He held it tight trying to strengthen Henry as the pain came up on him.

"What is it Henry?" he asked quietly trying to draw Henry out of his solitarily thoughts.

It took Henry a long time say it. Even when he opened his mouth to speak, it stayed opened and silent for several long moments. Abe remained silent and patient waiting on Henry.

There were tears in the corners of Henry's eyes and he still kept them cast down and away from Abe, fixing on their joined hands. "I'm afraid," he finally admitted quietly.

"What?" Abe asked. It was so unlike Henry Abe was sure he had heard him wrong.

"Afraid. I said I'm afraid. Oh him," Henry said like he was ashamed it was true. He covered his eyes with his free hand like he wanted to escape his own words.

"Henry, that's alright," Abe reassured him, squeezing his hand.

"No, it isn't."

"Why isn't it?"

"I don't want to be afraid of him," Henry said uncovering his eyes and finally looking at Abe. "I don't want worry about if he's watching me or think about how he knows everything about me. I don't want to think about how he can find me any time he wants or wonder what he wants to do to me when he does. I can't give him that kind of power."

"Henry, it's alright to be afraid of him. That creep killed you."

"It shouldn't bother me; I've been murdered before. It's just..." Henry said his voice trailing off.

"What?"

"He enjoyed it," Henry said with disgust. "He enjoyed it, Abe. I felt it. He said he killed me to protect our secret but that wasn't true. I was dying but not quick enough. It is true that Jo would have found me and she probably would have been there when I died and found out about my secret. That is true but that wasn't why he did it. He did it because he liked it. I felt it in the way he held that knife with precision, the way he held me anticipating it. I was laying there helpless and there was nothing I could do to stop him and he liked that."

Abe felt sick at Henry's words. The idea that Adam had not only killed Henry but had gotten enjoyment out it repulsed Abe. It also made him incredibly angry. Henry was a good man. Why would anyone want to hurt him? He was the best man that Abe had ever known. He cared about people, he took care of them. It made Abe so angry that someone would do this to Henry. Henry had enough burdens to carry without being toyed with in this cruel way.

Ever since "Adam" had made an appearance into Henry's life, Abe had watched as this unknown man stole more and more of Henry's peace. He'd filled Henry with fear from the very start. The first time he'd called Henry had been ready to leave New York. Just the fact that he knew Henry's secret had terrified him. From that encounter and every one since then Abe had tried to reassure Henry that they would be alright, that they would get through this. But the truth was this man worried him too. He'd always been afraid of what this man would do to Henry. Tonight had only proved that this man's intentions towards Henry were only ones of harm.

"Death is always the hardest when you get murdered," Henry continued. "Knowing that another person actually wants you dead...you never get over that. It's always a terrible thing. But people usually kill me because I get in their way. But he didn't do it out of necessity or fear. He did it out of pleasure. I have never faced evil like that and I don't know how to cope with it."

Henry turned his face to the wall but not before a stray tear had slipped out of his eye. It did not escape Abe's notice though he was sure Henry was hoping it had. Henry's free hand just barely touched his neck and Abe could see that he traced just barely along where the fatal cut had been. It was faint; you would have to be looking for it to see it. It was not messy or hastily done; there was skill and knowledge behind it. Though Henry shouldn't be able to feel any pain of it anymore the way his hand hovered there told Abe that he did still feel sight of it made the night more real to Abe, more real than he wanted it to be.

"He makes me feel powerless. He's lived for so much longer than me I can't outsmart him. And I can never get away from him. He could do this again, make me feel this way again, and that...terrifies me."

Abe could tell that Henry was struggling not to lose it completely. He see that Henry wanted to cry, whether it was from fear or pain or sadness Abe wasn't completely sure. The shock he'd been feeling had completely subsided now and he was no longer protected from the pain. But he was trying to hold it in. Abe knew he was trying to brave for his sake. Abe was sure it was the father in Henry that made him still want to protect Abe. Abe figured Henry couldn't really help that, but he did wish Henry wouldn't feel the need to. Abe was the only person that Henry could be honest with. If he wasn't honest with Abe then he would have to face this alone.

Had Abe become desensitized to the pain that Henry went through? He really hoped not but as he watched Henry trying to fight his pain now, he had a sickening feeling that he had. He had now seen Henry die more times than he wanted to count. In the beginning he knew that the deaths had affected him greatly. It had been a strange thing to experience. To know that someone you loved had died but yet they were still alive. At the time he had been sure a person could get used to such a thing. But he knew that he had done just that. He had gotten used to Henry's deaths.

Henry had wanted it that way. When he's first told Abe his secret he had reassured Abe that it wouldn't be that bad and that one day he would even get used to it. Abe had thought that Henry had said that because he himself had gotten used to them and because the deaths no longer affected him after all of this time. But Abe knew now that Henry had only said that to make things easier on him.

Henry had never gotten used to the deaths. Every one left a mark on him and caused him pain. The wounds were of different sizes and depths but they were always there. Somewhere along the line, Abe realized he had started to forget just how much they did hurt Henry. Tonight's death left a large wound and that's why it was so easy to see. That's why Henry was having a hard time hiding the pain he was in. But there was always a mark even when they weren't easy to see. Abe realized he should never make light of any of them. Though he always tried to help Henry see the positive side after his deaths he should never forget their significance.

Abe wanted to tell Henry _"I'm glad you're alright" _but he knew he couldn't. Henry was not alright at all. Physically, Henry was alright ,yes, and that was what Abe was grateful for. But Henry did not feel alright. Abe thought about the evening that Henry had had. He thought about Henry being stabbed, left to bleed and suffocate on the sidewalk, then thrown down the stairs and having his back broken. Then if all that wasn't bad enough, having his throat slit by the person he feared the most. It was terribly painful for Abe to actually think about how not one, but two people had set out to kill Henry tonight.

Is that the reason why Abe had allowed himself to become complacent with Henry's deaths? Was it because he was trying to spare himself the pain of it? He remembered back a few weeks, to the morning that Henry had died in the subway accident. Henry had been feeling sullen and had avoided Abe's attempts at cheering him up, eventually saying that he just needed some time alone. He had been about to say something but Abe had stopped him. _Don't say anything too emotional; it will be uncomfortable. _Abe words now came back to haunt him. Yes, sometimes the deaths and the emotions they brought with them were painful but sometimes caring about a person _did _hurt. But you took that pain in order to help the person. He now wondered desperately what it was that Henry had wanted to say. Had he not been there for Henry the way he had needed him? Is that the reason that Henry was now trying to keep his pain inside? In his attempt to make the deaths less painful for them both had Abe forgotten that sometimes Henry needed to feel that pain and needed someone else to feel it with him?

Abe thought about how tonight could have been the end of Henry were like everyone else then he would be dead right now. It was hard to really think about and that's why Abe never really did it. But this time he did; he knew he needed to. He thought about how it would feel to have lost Henry and not only to lose him but to lose him in this way, at the hands of a murderer. Did he take Henry's immortality for granted? He didn't want to think he did but perhaps he did. He had known that Henry couldn't die for so long now. He couldn't even remember back to those days when he had been so young and he'd had any worries that Henry might die. As he allowed himself to really consider what it would be like to have lost Henry tonight he realized that he didn't value Henry's immortality as much as he should.

Henry and Abe didn't usually engage in deeply personal moments following Henry's deaths. It would make sense for them to considering. But they usually found that they just couldn't handle it. But this was one time that Abe could see Henry needed that. Abe wasn't sure he had ever seen Henry so upset following a death. And it made him upset to see Henry suffering so much. He found he needed it too.

"I love you...dad," Abe said, the words coming out suddenly to fill the silence.

It wasn't often he called Henry by that name anymore. He'd had to stop calling Henry that around others so many years ago. Somehow over the years, getting into the habit of putting on an act for others they had become a habit even in their own home. Abe did still call Henry that from time to time, when Henry needed it or Abe needed it. Abe found that this time it was true of both. And he also realized that those times weren't nearly enough.

Henry faced Abe his mouth open, clear surprise on his face at Abe's words.

"I don't tell you that enough, but it's true. And I'm glad so glad you're alive. I mean...tonight you could have..." Abe's voice trailing off when there was a choke in his throat.

"Abe...I-" Henry started, his facing twisting in pain.

"It's okay."

Henry's face started to crumble at Abe's words, his declaration of love the final thing Henry needed to give into to all the emotions he was feeling. Abe gestured for Henry to come closer and he sat up to where Abe was waiting to hold him. Abe held Henry against him, one arm wrapped around his back the other holding Henry's head against his shoulder. Henry finally let himself cry, sobbing against Abe as Abe rubbed his back.

Abe knew that Henry needed to mourn. Henry didn't always acknowledge this every time he died. He sometimes pretended that everything was fine because he was physically alright. But he still died and Abe knew that there needed to be some degree of mourning because of that. Abe knew what others would never know: Immortality did not come without its costs. Though Henry got to keep his life after death he always lost _something_.

Henry was always talking about the things that made his "gift" of immortality actually a curse. But if Abe had to pick the one he thought was the hardest on Henry it would be that Henry got to survive death. That might seem obvious but if you really thought about it like Abe had, then you would see what he had seen: no one was meant to know what death really felt like. People died and then their suffering was over. They were not left to deal with the fear and pain and all the other emotions that came from facing death. Henry did though. He was left to remember them and to struggle to find a way past them.

Abe had wounds of his own too, just as Henry did. He thought of these even less often than he did of Henry's. He didn't like to think about the wounds that Henry's immortality left on him. He knew that the positives far out weighted the negatives. But still they were there. Having to watch someone you love die changed you. It was monumental thing that you could never forget. He was the only person who had to do that multiple times. Knowing that someone you love was the target of a murderer was even worse. Maybe that was why, tonight, when it had happened to Henry twice, Abe could not ignore these wounds. He could not deny that it hurt him terribly to know Henry had been the target of two murderers. He wondered why he would even try to deny it. For that reason, Abe allowed himself to cry along with Henry. He stayed strong enough to be an anchor for Henry but he faced his own pain.

"We'll get through this," Abe said fervently for himself just as much as for Henry. "You hear me? We are going to get through this, I promise." He felt Henry nod his face still against Abe's shoulder. "Just like we always do," Abe added.

It was the only thing the Abe could say. There was nothing he could say that would make this in any way better. He couldn't make Adam or all the problems he posed go away with his words alone. But this was all Abe needed to say. Because Abe couldn't make it all go away but he could let Henry know he wasn't alone in this. And Abe was pretty sure that was all Henry really needed to know. Abe knew it was all he needed to know.

Henry's sobs became further and further apart until they stopped all together. Abe remained the way he was, allowing Henry to be the one to pull away and after he was silent for a few moment he did. He still looked embarrassed as he wiped the tears off his face but he seemed to take comfort in the fact that Abe's face was not dry either.

"I'm sor-" Henry started to say.

"If that's an apology, you can just stop right there," Abe said holding up a finger. He smiled at Henry and Henry smiled back at him. "It isn't necessary."

"You're a good son," Henry said, pausing and looking thoughtful. "I don't tell you that enough."

"Well, that's because I already know. After all, I only learned from the best."

"Well, I don't know about that," Henry said with a shrug.

"I do. You see my father is a good man. He cares about people, even more than himself. And even though a lot of the time it seems like the opposite, it is those kind of people who overcome the evil in this world."

Henry gave a small half smile, and took a deep breath, still trying to catch his breath. "When did you get to be so smart?" Henry asked.

"I was born brilliant. Obviously," Abe said in a jesting tone. "Now, it's time for you to get some sleep old man," he added trying to lighten the mood.

It seemed to do the trick as Henry laid back down on the bed, smiling though he did not have the energy for a comeback for Abe's "old man" comment. His eyes briefly glanced around with a look of worry in them. He paused uncertain for a moment before Abe spoke.

Abe went to reassure him. "And I'm staying here for now and there's not anything you can say to make me leave."

Henry looked slightly embarrassed that he even would ask but he only gratefully said, "Thank you."

In the morning Abe could be positive; he _would_ be positive. He knew that Henry needed that. Henry would always need a different perspective. But Abe also needed to remember that sometimes Henry needed this too. Henry needed to be able to look at his wounds, to actually see that they were there and acknowledge that they weren't alright. Because immortals weren't invincible.

As Abe watched his father now, trying to sleep, he smiled. Henry didn't always see it but Abe always did. No, Henry was not invincible but he was incredibly strong.

And he was going to change the world.

**Come and talk to me. I have lots of Forever feels and love to hear from others who have the same :) **


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